Walmart’s Blockchain Project to Solve Online Delivery Complications

Walmart blockchain: Delivery is one of the most challenging aspects of online retail and Walmart is determined to solve its delivery problems with blockchain.

Back on July 5th, the big box retailer headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas was rewarded a blockchain patent that focuses on the scheduling and delivery of packages. The patent was originally filed back on January 3rd, 2017.

Delivery Hub

The patent talks of delivery hubs, very similar to Amazon’s lockers, which will use a public blockchain to determine available capacity and make reservations for delivery.

The information regarding which locker is available or not is recorded on a public ledger. Once the requests for the reservation is made, the ledger is analyzed to see if there is sufficient capacity available. If there is, a contract is executed to reserve the storage capacity for the online delivery. Once completed, the public ledger is updated.

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In order to utilize a blockchain reservation platform, each delivery hub will become a node within the blockchain network.

“Updates to the blockchain may comprise transfer of capacity units into and out of the public ledger, and one or more nodes on the system may be configured to incorporate one or more updates into blocks to add to the distributed database.”

Delivery Solved

Amazon first introduced its ‘Amazon lockers’ a few years ago and are trying to solve the delivery pain points. Theft is a huge issue among online deliveries as most individuals aren’t home during the day when packages are delivered.

Often, if packages require a signature, you may be waiting multiple days before you can receive it as there are often communication issues between the customer and the delivery driver. Scheduling to pick up your package at a locker saves both time, money, and potential frustration. It’s a win-win for everyone, and Walmart has acknowledged that.

Ripple has added 11 new universities to its University Blockchain Research Initiative (UBRI). With a strong emphasis on developing the upcoming generation of developers, the UBRI is designed to develop blockchain-focused academia and research.